After Xavier Died
by boboo3
Summary: In an Alternate Universe where Xavier died, the Xmen were disbanded and broken. Until Betsy at seventeen wanted to ensure the dream, she gathered nine mutants to make them the New Xmen. It's an AU so there is changes to characters and history R
1. The Gathering of the 10

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men…

After Xavier Died…

This is an AU the ages, portions of the characters history and stuff like that was changed. Many things were in fact changed for the story.

Chapter 1: The Gathering of the 10

The seventeen-year-old British model stood looking down upon the room there were nine other teenagers in the world, many were unique and had strange appearances. Betsy had long purple hair that reached her upper back, her deep purple eyes looking upon the room, she was nervous. Sure modeling was in front of people but she never had to speak, she had to live up to Xavier's dream. If none of his pupils were to continue it she would. Her thin figure was edging up even closer to the platform as a bead of sweat dropped from her head.

She wore a purple tank top and black pants, with some boots. If there was one thing she didn't agree with Xavier about it was, the uniforms. Spandex? Yeah right. This thought made her laugh a little but the audience before her gave her strange looks, finally she gained the courage after two minutes of silence, "As all of you know Charles Xavier and many of his X-men were killed, others retired or their whereabouts are unknown."

"But his dream should live on in the next generation of mutants," said Betsy while pacing, "Us of course that's the reason I gathered you and risked arrest after illegally obtaining blue prints to Cerebro and building it."

Then a short girl in a yellow coat, with a red t-shirt that was oversized underneath and baggy jeans stood up, she was a Chinese American with a trouble makers look about her, the youngest in the room, "Why would a rich model like you care about us lower class mutants? You are pretty much excluded from the Sentinel Sentries just because you are famous."

"That may be true but I took Xavier's dreams to my heart," said Betsy but she was quickly interrupted again by the girl whose black eyes darted from a painting on the wall, then back to her, "You gather us here to preach to us, I don't have enough money to be here on a permanent basis…"

"Well you responded to my call and took the tickets I bought for you all to get here myself," she said, "I even got Lucas Bishop out of jail."

An imposing seventeen-year-old African-American kid with a tattooed M over his forehead and eye, he had facial hair spaced a little ways away around his mouth and on his chin. He was wearing a black t-shirt, and urban camouflage pants. His large steel-toed boots were rested upon a fancy table, "Thanks."

Betsy smiled at him and said, "Well you don't need money you will all be staying with me."

"Wouldn't your parents care?" asked a devilish midnight blue teen hanging upside down from the ceiling using his blue tail his black trench coat with red designs all over it hanging over a chair. Underneath there was a black vest with the same designs and some black mixed with a grayish colored pants. His feet were bare with only two toes, his hands had three fingers, and his thick indigo messy hair hung from his face. Shining bright yellow eyes with no pupils looked at her as he spoke.

"No…uh Kurt Wagner right?" asked Betsy Braddock.

"Correct," said Kurt smiling with his fangs bared.

"They don't they say I can do whatever I want as long as I bring in the money and you guys manage yourselves," she said, "They are a bit greedy…they do say I should follow my dreams though this is one of them."

The yellow jacketed girl sat back in the chair, "The name is Jubilation Lee by the way, I'm orphaned this is the only option I have."

"Well Jubilee," said Betsy she decided Jubilation was harder to say, "If this is your only hope then instead of being suspicious be supportive."

She silenced herself realizing that might have been a tad rude, she is usually very obnoxious due to not having much of a social life being somewhat of a street rat.

"So I used my telepathic powers and contacted about fifty different young mutants, then finally you nine replied to my idea," Betsy said, "You will all be attending the local school."

The ones who looked the most appalled about this were Kurt, Jubilee, and a bug-eyed teenager with green skin and black dreadlocks. The bug-eyed teenager wore a bandanna and some second hand clothes. His legs looked unusually strong for his size, he was also very scrawny and short. He had webbed toes, and fingers both bare, his eyes were black and glassy with no whites, while his wide grin held sharp teeth.

He said, "But people like me are beaten up…"

Betsy looked at him, "I'm sure it won't be that bad people in this town seem to be more used to mutations because of me…they didn't enjoy the idea that I could read their minds, or perhaps the fact that I could lift things with my mind."

"We are going to help other mutants out, and we will know where trouble is occurring because of this guy," she walked over to an the oldest teenager an Egyptian boy with long black hair, he wore white garb commonly used in that portion of the world. He had sullen brown eyes, his large nose protruded from his face.

He responded, "Yes I have talked with Ms. Braddock, I can transport you all through the Astral Plane to get to far away places…"

"Amahl Farouk is not a bad telepath either," she gestured towards him, "Even though Kurt can teleport his limit is a very small amount…"

Jubilee blurted, "Are you sure he isn't a terrorist?"

"You Americans and your stereotypes," Betsy dismissed the question and said, "You assume all people from the Middle East or appear to be are terrorists…"

Amahl looked like he could care less what he thought. Lucas Bishop one of the only other Americans in the room didn't seem to agree with Jubilee's statement but the guy did give him the creeps.

A blonde Aussie with blue eyes stood up he had an orange t-shirt with a long sleeved red shirt under it. His tan shorts reached his knees, he wore a pair of sandals, and he held a lighter in his hand, "Yeah well how can we be sure we can trust any bloke in this room?"

"How can we be sure we can trust you?" asked Betsy suspiciously.

"I'm a Saint, St. John Allerdyce I am," said the boy with the lighter, "Also I'm an author…who doesn't like authors?"

"I don't know any authors, shit I don't know anyone of importance," said Lucas to him, "I'm just some, 'trouble-making slacker.'"

"I thought you wanted to be a cop…" trailed off Betsy.

"Until I moved to L.A," said Lucas, "Then anything but a cop is good, the only reason I was in jail was an officer claimed I beat him with his nightstick."

"Whatever…" said Betsy, "Well like I was saying before our conversation took off in the wrong direction, we will all be attending the school, and to be sure we know when something is happening that we will need to take care of."

She walked over to a tall boy with a skull mask on his face and chains all over his body he only wore pants, and the chains. His eyeholes glowed with blue fire she patted him on the shoulder and said, "This guy, he likes to be called Xorn. Strangely enough he can see things in the world all at once, and heal major wounds, it took some convincing to get him to join but he can't speak any English he's from China."

"Only Amahl and I can communicate with him…but that's because were telepaths," said Betsy.

A muscular Russian guy with jet-black hair and blue eyes stood up. He was wearing a muscle shirt that was white, and plain work pants with worn out sneakers he cleared his throat and said, "What happened to these X-men anyways?"

"Xavier, and his X-men had an encounter with Magneto and his Brotherhood," said Betsy, "The team was unable to fend them off due to huge power enhancements that Magneto gave his team…they were overpowered, most of them were killed."

"Iceman is the only one known for sure to have survived, Cyclops is rumored, and Wolverine is unknown…Polaris, Jean Grey, Havok, and Thunderbird are all dead," said Betsy she looked upset but smiled again, "But you are all here and we are going to do them proud!"

The only one not to have spoken squirmed a bit in her chair she glanced up, her bright green eyes stared out from brown locks with two streaks of white in her bangs. She had a very pale skin tone and lacked any kind of make-up upon her face, she looked like she should be hot in her clothes wearing a red scarf, a dark overcoat with a long sleeved sweater underneath, black gloves, long pants that covered all of her leg, and sneakers, she wore the oddest clothing aside from Kurt, and Amahl, she opened her mouth to finally speak, "When do we get started!"

"Right now if you wish Marie Darkholme," said Betsy.

"Don't call me that! It's Rogue," she yelled then calmed down, "Please, I prefer it."

"I suppose I know why," said Betsy looking serious, "Okay Rogue we get started now, first we need to perfect your abilities and get you to your lodgings."

Okay I want to know how the story was please review, reviews make me write, and inspire me. Ideas are welcome, this will be the X-men team but if you have an idea for an addition later on please state it, however cannot be those listed in the previous X-men team for obvious reasons.

The next chapter should be up soon if I can get to it.


	2. And Then There Was One

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men

Please Review my Story, quite a bit of though was put into it…

Chapter 2: And Then There was One

Betsy managed to show the group around her mansion, which was considerably large and had more bedrooms than her family actually needed. She guessed it was if far off family was visiting…but who knows. Even though there was that many bedrooms people still had to share these marginally large rooms.

They again were in the room where they originally met Betsy had to propose an idea that was generally mocked. She sat at the place where she had stood previously and said, "We need new names."

"New names?" questioned Lucas, "Why do we need new names?"

"I mean like re-christening yourself as a mutant, like Charles Xavier had done with his X-men, like many mutant groups," she replied, "Or in a simpler term a codename."

Jubilation piped up immediately, "I liked what you called me…Jubilee."

"I guess that would be a good one for you if you don't like the idea of it relating to your powers," said Betsy sounding a little irritated.

"No my name means 'party' I create sort of fire work looking things," said Jubilee, "So it makes sense."

"Well we already know what Xorn is, not that it matters he won't be doing field work," said Betsy, "But I already decided on Psylocke."

"Well sugar there is no way you are calling me Mariholme," spoke up Rogue, "Rogue is what it's going to be."

"Well most of us are decided," said Betsy looking at the room.

"Well that's a stupid idea!" exclaimed Mortimer, "I mean what are you going to call me, Frog-boy? Toad? Warty?"

"It's settled Toad then," said Betsy who was starting to get annoyed with these people, "This was going to be more difficult than she thought."

"Hey oi' don't wanna be called Toad! You twit!" said Mortimer again, "Call me something cool."

"Toad it is," said Lucas laughing lightly, "Settle down, what would be cool for somebody who looks like a frog anyways?"

"Ummm…ummm…I don't know," said Mortimer, "But I guess it will grow on me, but what would we call you wise guy? Convict?"

"I'm telling you I'm not a convict, I was framed," said Lucas whose temper seemed to be rising but he settled down and leaned against the wall, "Besides I like Bishop."

Mortimer looked at the back of his pants noticing something no one else had noticed, "Does an innocent man pack a gun?"

"No, one who likes to be able to defend themselves does," said Lucas, the subject was dropped about the gun quickly afterwards but people seemed uneasy around them.

"Bishop is just your last name…don't you think people would know it's you Lucas?" asked Betsy trying to be somewhat polite even though irritation was apparent.

"No, if she gets to be Jubilee I get to be Bishop," Lucas replied, "That's all."

St. John was the next to have his piece, "Pyro, Latin is good for names, although I could also be Saint."

"You are no Saint you are going to be Pyro," said Betsy, "So shut up."

"I'm a Saint and I can prove it," said St. John, "Just ask me a question."

"When's the last time you watched porn?" asked Betsy smiling evilly, "Answer truthfully I will know if you are lying."

"Never," said St. John, "Porn is for lonely people, who get no love."

"Well your mind says different," Betsy mocked him, "You watched porn before you even came here."

St. John was shot down and stayed quiet about the matter he knew if he kept saying things she would beat him every time, "Fine Pyro."

Amahl said clearly, "Shadow."

Betsy seemed to accept that, "Now just for demon boy over there."

"I am not a demon," Kurt said angrily, "I am in fact a devout Catholic."

"An Angel in Devil's clothing then?" Betsy asked, "Fine what's your name going to be?"

Before he could answer Mortimer yelled out, "You not being a demon is like me not being a frog…not going to happen."

Kurt disappeared in a puff of smoke, and then reappeared in front of Mortimer socking him in the face. Mortimer rubbed his bloody nose with his arm, "Ow…"

"Don't call me a demon," he said unsheathing a knife under his jacket, "Or next time it will be a little more painful."

"Does everyone have weapons around here?" asked Rogue, "Seems like I should get myself an Uzi then."

"Well I do have a katana," said Betsy, "But that's besides the point, think of a name Kurt."

Amahl said, "What about Nightcrawler, the creatures that come out after dark."

Kurt scratched his chin and remarked at what he said, "I can live with that."

Betsy glanced over at Piotr, "What about you Peter?"

"Colossus," he said proudly, "After the spectacle written about in Greek Mythology, the statues that stand higher than any had before, gold ones."

"Then we all know who we are," said Betsy, "To sound official no one change their names."

"Oh then I'm stuck with Toad?" asked Mortimer.

"Get over yourself!" Betsy yelled crossing her arms he flew out of his chair and crashed into a wall. Mortimer rubbed his head muttering, "What is it abuse Morty day?"

"If you want it to be mate," said St. John smiled a bit almost from ear to ear, "I haven't delivered a good beating in a while."

Mortimer looked like it was starting to get to him, "I'm out of here!"

He started to leap towards the exit, but Amahl stepped forward, "You have nowhere else to go except that orphanage, I know."

"Damn telepaths, nobody has a private thought in the world with you people around!" St. John said this Mortimer hopped up behind him and said, "Yeah nobody here can have a single thought without someone like you reading it!"

Xorn could tell they were fighting even though he couldn't speak English, he walked over between the two and Amahl then started to say stuff in Chinese.

"Well what did that bloke say?" asked Mortimer directing the question to the telepaths.

"He says, 'Loud voices, and fights don't solve problems,'" said Amahl, "And how very right he is."

"Why am I to believe you?" asked Mortimer, "I don't trust a single one of you in this room."

Xorn looked at him then said something else in Chinese which Amahl translated as he said it, "You don't know whom you are dealing with."

"How did he understand me though?" asked Mortimer with an amazed expression, "I thought he doesn't speak English!"

"No, I do, I speak several different languages due to telepathy, so translating is pretty easy," said Amahl, "It is something I specialized more in."

St. John looked at him, "Fine I believe you but I think we should have a pact that telepaths stay out of your minds unless needed, all in favor?"

Everyone in the room raised their hands even Betsy, the only hands that weren't up were Xorn and Amahl. Xorn mainly because he had no clue what he said, and Amahl didn't seem to have a reason.

Betsy announced, "Then it's settled, with that note I say everyone goes to bed, we need some shut eye."

Rogue got out of her chair, "I concur!"

Jubilee followed her with Betsy close behind to the room they all shared the room. It didn't take long for all parties to fall asleep, but strangely enough almost everyone had nightmares.

The next morning all of them did not look too well, Rogue's hair was frazzled and mangy. But unlike the others she was already in casual clothes or at least what was casual to her, trying to tame her hair with a brush. The only people in the room who didn't look too affected were, Mortimer, Lucas, Amahl, and Xorn.

The reasons being, for Mortimer it's kind of hard to mess up dreadlocks, Lucas was bald, no problem there. Amahl just looked unaffected at all, Xorn, who could tell?

But their clothes of course were what they slept in. Betsy looked like the biggest mess of all as she normally looked like one to present herself well but she was making some coffee. After a cup or two she immediately looked like she could run 10 miles, "Well everyone today is your first days at school, except Amahl, Piotr, and Xorn. Everyone else needed to go to school or were forced. Mortimer, and Jubilee were the hardest to get out of the door as they fought against the idea the most. Kurt was a bit hard but he was easy to push out after some encouragement from Rogue, who was plain frightening to most of the team.

After getting in a limo questions started to arise.

"Do you always go to school in a limo?" asked St. John, "Because seems like it would leave an impression on the students…"

"Don't you, if you are the famous author you claim you are, what did you write anyways?" asked Betsy.

"Well if you must know, I mainly collaborate, so I can't claim they are my brain children, but I am working on a book right now," said St. John with a accomplished smile, "So no worries."

Rogue looked out the window, "How will we know what classes to go to?"

"You will get a schedule Rogue," said Betsy, "No trouble with that."

"Also when are we actually going to start getting to work on refining our powers?" asked Rogue again, "I think we should be doing that instead of school."

"I would teach you myself but I'm not qualified," said Betsy, "Until I convince the person I've been communicating to teach us control we won't get to."

"Who have you been communicating with?" asked Mortimer.

Before she answered Lucas interrupted, "Stop bombarding her with questions, it would be a good idea to not do that."

Betsy looked at Lucas then to Kurt, "Umm…Lucas you mind leaving your gun in the limo, and Kurt your knife…your appearance might scare them off already so the knife might be a little more imposing."

Lucas just dropped the gun on her command Kurt took a little bit, and said "I am worried about their reaction what if I need protection?"

"We have metal detectors at this school," said Betsy, "I'm sure the school will be on you about your clothing just to annoy you more."

Mortimer frowned, "How come people like us have to stay out of the way of others, we should be able to do what we want…"

"It's not what is right, that's how Magneto thought, him and his Brotherhood," said Betsy this ended the conversation quick.

Finally the silence ended when they arrived at school, it was a good thing Betsy lived in a smaller town in England, so there was probably about only three hundred students at the entire school, bad news about this was news spreads quick.

When she stepped out of the limo she was immediately bombarded by her popular friends and was drug away even though the inhabitants of the limo knew they needed her. Except Bishop of course who just stepped out of the limo he had a presence that both interested the kids and made them back off.

"Whose that guy?" said a random boy.

"I don't know but damn is he buffed up," said another guy.

Well that was true he was well built due to a lot of weight lifting, and other vigorous exercise that he did in his time in prison and out. He just walked by the other kids not giving them any notice, when passing through the metal detector they scanned him several times even after clearing it.

The next teen to brave outside of the car was St. John, he glanced around and smiled as he saw a few girls sigh as they saw him. He glanced at them and they all looked overjoyed, he did love himself as much as he believed everyone else did.

Two girls got in a fight about which of them would get him, as he just kept walking.

Rogue stumbled out of the car falling flat on her face everyone started to laugh at her. Tears welled in her eyes unbeknownst to the viewers but she quickly recovered and got up. A loud preppy girl in front of her yelled, "Ooh, widdle new child fell on her face!"

Before she could say anymore Rogue had knocked her out with a fist, and she was drooling on the pavement. When arriving at the metal detectors she had to remove a few layers before they passed her through it. She hastily put them back on and walked through.

Jubilee and Mortimer got out at the same time. Jubilee probably would have been greeted happily if not for Mortimer's imposing appearance, his Toad like physique may have been funny to the mutants. But, it was actually slightly scary to others, then a tall muscular kid yelled, "Hey Kermit where's Miss Piggy?"

"Shut up Duncan," said a girl who hit him on the arm, "Be nice…"

He just laughed and said, "What's the matter? Waiting to be turned into a Prince? That will never happen."

Mortimer was annoyed and starting to get angry but Jubilee whispered to him, "Just ignore him…if he says anything later we will teach him a lesson."

Mortimer grinned evilly as they continued walking on finally Kurt was shoved out of the limo, as he stepped out people immediately started talking.

"Is that Satan?" asked someone.

"No, no, he's blue, Satan's red," said another kid stupidly in response.

"What's with the clothes, is it to hide some kind of gills?" another kid questioned.

Kurt continued walking hiding in his own form. When he arrived at the metal detector the guard jumped in fear, "Damn…I don't want anything to do with you Lucipher be gone!"

"I am Kurt Wagner one of the new students," he said, "I am not the devil."

He lifted the cross off of his neck and showed him, "See?"

He pulled the bible out of another pocket as proof. But the guard was still suspicious and spent some time making sure he wasn't concealing any weapons.

Then he sent him on through, Kurt muttered some text from the bible that was inaudible to the man. But he ignored it and was happy to get the kid beyond the fence, where the people who talked about him were. Along with the other new students, and the Duncan guy who made fun of Mortimer.

He seemed to be thinking of something for Kurt, but before he could get a chance he arrived with the rest of the group. Now that Betsy was gone Lucas seemed to have taken over leadership temporarily, "Alright everyone, we need to go to the Headmaster's office and get our schedules, ignore everyone else."

Bishop was pretty tall for his age he must have been six foot and still growing. He was also very muscular he could have probably rivaled Peter in the muscle department. As he led the group when turning a corner a younger teen scream and ran for cover he simply chuckled at this as an acknowledgment that yes he did scare the crap right out of the kid.

This was probably the oddest group of people to ever set their feet into the high school, and probably the most mutants that ever passed through at one time. Lucas swiftly led them to the headmaster's office they noticed nobody talked about them when Lucas was around. Mortimer was thankful for this and was beginning to like the guy.

He knocked on the door of the Headmaster's office. A voice from inside said, "Come in…"

When they walked in he was surprised, the head master was William Stryker. Of all the people to be the headmaster of this school it had to be Stryker, he used to be part of the Friends of Humanity an anti-mutant militia that was prominent before the X-men first were created. They quickly stamped the group out with haste.

Stryker looked both pleased, and surprised about the group. It was amazing that Betsy survived here this long, "Greetings, Betsy already told me about you…"

He handed each of them a schedule, and when he gave Mortimer, and Kurt theirs they noticed he gave them the meanest glares either had ever received.

"Well, I trust you all can find your way around the school," said Stryker, "My name is William Stryker, call me Headmaster Stryker if you will."

He shoved them out of the door. Lucas said, "So this was where this cretin went after his downfall…he didn't even have to do time that bastard."

"Who is that anyways?" asked Rogue, "I don't remember the guy…"

"Surely you remember those anti-mutant crusades and the sentinels?" asked Lucas, "All of us were lucky to live through that."

"Ja…I was outed as a mutant, when they first were formed," said Kurt, "I was kicked out of my own village, by these people, he led the march."

"I am sorry Kurt, I too was hunted down by Sentinels," said Bishop, "I threw them off pretty fast, they didn't expect my power."

"What is your power anyways?" asked Mortimer inquisitively.

"It's a bit complicated I'll explain it to you another time when I think of an easy way to explain it," said Lucas he looked down at his schedule and examined the others schedules, "I guess because it's a small town all we get is basics, also assuming the school has three hundred students total each class will probably be small and have every student in the grade…"

He left the other students behind him. Mortimer and Rogue headed to their class together, everyone else were different ages and were on their own.

When Lucas stepped through the door of his classroom he noticed Betsy and gave her a friendly smiled then waved. She seemed to be ignoring him, but no matter he was going to go sit down in the front row. Unlike many people's pretension about Lucas he loved to learn, there was nothing better in the world he could do for himself.

When the teacher arrived at the chalkboard she said, "I believe we have a new student today, Lucas Bishop?"

He looked up at her and waved a bit. She was shocked at his appearance immediately and said, "Why do you have that horrendous tattoo?"

"It has an inner meaning," said Lucas who glanced up at her he could tell this teacher wasn't going to be a fan of him.

He glanced at the schedule, English, of course. It seemed teachers hated him in English for some reason maybe it was the stereotype that all African American teens talked in slang, were 'gangster,' but the biggest one was probably his size and appearance.

"Would you mind telling me?" the teacher asked she was still horrified about it though.

"Yes actually I would mind," said Lucas he could tell this was going to be a long class.

"Well I am Ms. Hornbee," she said, "You can call me Ms. H."

The teenager sitting next to Lucas whispered to him just as she turned to the chalkboard, "Or the Horny Bee…the name's Slap Jack…all the kids call me that."

"You heard my name," said Lucas, he proceeded to shake his hand.

The teacher proclaimed, "No talking in class!"

But when she turned around Slap Jack finished with, "You and me will probably be good friends."

He lay back in the chair tipping his hat over his eyes he mumbled what sounded like, "Because she hates me too."

Slap Jack was a British, child with red hair, green eyes, and ruddy clothing. He looked poor, probably the reason why this teacher was disrespectful towards him. Lucas was starting to consider why Betsy was ignoring him but he turned to the back, she was sitting in the back row with her preppy friends chatting away. Then it hit him, she was popular, what model wouldn't be?

All of a sudden a thought went through his mind but it wasn't his, the voice sounded like Amahl, 'Trouble in Louisiana, come back to the mansion when you can…'

Lucas turned back to Betsy looked like she had heard the thought as well, then raised her hand, "Umm…Ms. Hornbee, I am afraid that I have something I need to attend to."

"No problem Ms. Braddock," she smiled politely, obviously Betsy was her favorite student.

Lucas had a feeling he was below Slap Jack in her list. But then Betsy said, "Lucas needs to come with me too!"

"That boy?" asked the teacher, "Fine, fine take him with you if you need to."

Now he wasn't even going to be referred by his name when he was in the same room…nice.

They left immediately, when they entered the hallway Betsy looked over at Lucas, "We should only take a few of them with us…"

She scanned the nearby minds, "It looks like Kurt has left his room because the kids were picking on him, and Jubilee skipped. Let's go get them!"

Lucas grinned, "Tell me where Kurt is…"

She told them and they both split off. Several minutes later the four had arrived at the front of the school. Betsy sent a message to Amahl, not long after Peter, and Amahl appeared out of thin air in a black portal.

"A strange experience if I have ever had one!" said Peter whipping some strange matter off his arms that dissolved in the air, "This Astral Plane is a scary place."

Betsy looked at him, "When Amahl's with us we should be fine…"

Kurt looked at her, "What is even in there that we should be afraid of?"

"Astral shadows…" said Amahl, "No more questions we need to get to New Orleans!"

The group stepped into the portal and the world was changed, Amahl glanced at the group in there as he turned to the world around them. It was a dark purplish color, although sometimes an object would float by that looked out of place or a bright color. Also there were some strange demon creatures running around, Amahl said, "We will be traveling fast on the Vessel I have created but we will still have to deal with them…"

A platform rose from the ground with intricate designs in red lining on the platform itself. The whole group stepped onto it and Amahl turned again, "We are all on this? You do not want to get separated from me…this may be a telepathic realm but Betsy is nowhere near powerful enough to carry people through it."

It started to move at a seemingly fast pace but in reality it was moving at a speed that would get them across an ocean in a minute. The creatures started to jump on the platform and Shadow looked at them. This seemed to be where he was strong, his eyes glowed blue and blue fire shot from his eyes incinerating one. Nightcrawler tried unsheathing his knife but it wasn't there, he remembered leaving it in the limo, the same realization came upon Bishop as he reached for his gun.

Jubilee was shooting sparks from her fingertips, which launched a creature off the Vessel and into the unknown. Then one came up behind her and Colossus was obliged to pull the beast off tossing it aside. Jubilee said, "Thanks!"

"No problem," said Colossus as another came up behind him and his skin turned metal. He kicked it and watched it fly away towards the shining clouds.

Bishop was watching a creature in front of him it was about to try to shoot some kind of laser at him, but Psylocke slashed through it with a mental blade. Nightcrawler appeared in a purple cloud in front of a creature punching it across the face, and then kicking it off.

The world they were in dissolved and Shadow looked back at the group, "We are here…"

There were bustling crowds of people they approached a crowd of people. A man was performing tricks before them. He lifted his collar to his shirt as a pigeon flew out and became a bouquet of flowers. This man was amazing at what he did when he caught the bouquet he threw it into the crowd. A woman caught it sighing, Shadow looked back at the group, "It happened somewhere nearby here, Xorn told me that a man who calls himself Mastermind tricked a teenager named Remy Le'Beau to steal for him. He should be stealing from a jewel store soon."

"Remy denied my invitation," said Psylocke she frowned a bit, "In fact his response was a bit unsavory."

Jubilee looked around, "This is my kind of town!"

She ran off into a crowd, Psylocke yelled some choice words and said, "Damn it! I knew that little brat would do something like this we need some people to go locate her. Why don't Shadow, and Bishop go locate her…we need a telepath at all times so I will stay here, any questions?"

As Bishop and Shadow ran off to find her Bishop looked over to Shadow, "Do you suppose she doesn't like to deal with her?"

"Yes, I barely can stand dealing with her," said Shadow with a look of disgust on his face, "You can understand, she's a bit unreliable…she is most likely to turn against us at some point."

"Yeah I suppose you are right," said Bishop as he trailed off, "Look Jubilee's in trouble!"

Jubilee was on the ground as teenager stood over her, he had long brown hair, his irises were red, the rest black, he had a brown trench coat, with a white tank top underneath, then he wore olive pants with many zippers and pockets, he held three playing cards in his hands he was saying, "I hate you dad! I hate you so much…"

He was about to try to slit Jubilee's throat with them, Bishop said, "That guy's insane!"

"No…it is Remy, he is under an illusion," said Shadow.

He disappeared into a black portal and appeared behind Jubilee dragging disappearing with her. When Remy noticed that she was gone he turned to Bishop, "Dad!"

He three the cards, each exploded upon Bishop's chest but he seemed unaffected. The energy flowed into him and he felt stronger growing slightly bigger, "I can use what you have against you Remy, you don't want to mess with me!"

He fired a bolt of energy right back at Remy. Knocking him into a wall, but not long after Remy was up again and pulling a small metal rod from a pouch in his coat, "It's time that I end this!"

He pressed a button on it, which made the rod telescope out into a staff, which he started to swing at Bishop each swing was a miss although large he was quick on his feet. Now it was a question as to whether the team would ever come and help him. Then Remy swung the staff down at him from above which he sidestepped but he wasn't expecting a kick from the side to his gut. Remy had surprises too, for a small guy he was strong.

Then he heard a loud but strangely muffled sound and he smelled brimstone. Remy was in a headlock delivered by Nightcrawler Jubilee's finger was then pointed at his face it was glowing bright yellow, "You better knock it off frog!"

He smiled and kicked out, "The name's Gambit dad, they don't call me nothing else now!"

Nightcrawler was knocked into a wall and Jubilee into Bishop, Bishop looked at her, "Where is everyone else?"

"They are looking for the guy controlling him…he won't stop fighting until he stops having these illusions," said Jubilee who started firing light orbs at Gambit each one he had dismissed with a thrown card.

Bishop noticed her power had a lot to do with energy, "Shoot me with your sparks Jubes!"

She stared at him, "Won't that hurt?"

Nightcrawler was sparring with Gambit he was about as quick as he was so it was a pretty even fight so to speak. He would kick Gambit would hit his leg with an arm which would alter the fight to his favor until Nightcrawler would find a way to hinder him. Bishop said, "Do it Jubilee!"

She started firing all of her power into Bishop until he was glowing and said he could take no more. Now he was extremely fast, and strong, he ran at Gambit starting to punch him repeatedly. The speed he was now fighting at was keeping Gambit unable to get into a single jab or a swing of the staff. But he had another trick up his sleeve, he grabbed the wall and it charged with a pink aura. Exploding and knocking them both back, but the explosion had over charged Bishop.

He was in pain writhing on the ground Jubilee turned over to Gambit and charged at him forgetting about her powers. He hit her on the temple as she crumpled to the floor. Nightcrawler was the only one left as he ran on all fours and leaped. The area was silent for a moment as Gambit searched the area then all of a sudden he asked, "Where am I?"

Nightcrawler was sticking to the wall above him as he flipped off and kicked him on the back knocking Gambit to the floor. Then he held his arm behind his back, "Stay there!"

"What are you doing?" asked Gambit, "Where am I?"

"You were just fighting us…don't you remember?" said Nightcrawler.

"Not at all, I thought it was my dad again…but he's dead," said Gambit, "How could that be?"

At this note the rest of the X-men appeared before them, Psylocke got Nightcrawler off of Gambit and lifted him up, "You were under control, by the street performer over there…he was actually a mutant, but he escaped us."

Gambit dusted himself off and examined the bag of diamonds he was holding. He saw a jewelry store where he tossed them in, "You are that model who wanted me to join the X-men…"

"Yes I am," said Psylocke, "Listen we need to go try to catch that guy who was controlling you, also it's best that you come with us. Due to him you are considered a crook…"

Gambit said, "I would have came with you anyways, nobody plays me!"

Shadow turned to Psylocke, "It was difficult but I have located him…"

The whole group disappeared in another portal the trips to locations in the city were pretty easy to do. When they appeared again they had arrived at a bayou where a small shack was located in an island in the middle. It seemed like there was no way to get over there, but luckily for them they could find ways. Nightcrawler teleported Gambit, and Jubilee across the water, as Psylocke telekinetically lifted Bishop across. As this was happening Shadow was already there with Colossus next to him, Psylocke motioned the whole group over to her, "Don't believe the things you see in there, only Shadow and I will be immune to it all together…"

"Colossus you do the honors," said Psylocke motioning at the door, he turned his flesh to metal and obliged.

The door was like ripping a blade of grass in half from him, it almost looked as though it disintegrated under his might. He ran inside but looked around, it was a blank room, with an empty chair in the middle, and said "There is nothing in here Psylocke…"

"Yes there is!" said Psylocke a psychic dagger formed at her fist as she ran at the chair.

Then Colossus yelled, "Why are you trying to hurt my little Illyana? She is just a small girl!"

He ran at Psylocke and punched her in the gut. It launched her through the wall, Colossus had seen the chair with Illyana sitting in it, but truly a man with a dark jacket, and a top hat was sitting there. His hair graying and his eyes blue, he just smiled as he saw his enemies plans fall apart by using this massive man as his minion, much better than a scrawny Cajun who can do card tricks…

Nightcrawler ran into the room, "Why did you punch Betsy?"

The Mastermind smiled, he knew this one would be easy. Nightcrawler ran from the room yelling and screaming, he envisioned a mob led by William Stryker chasing him out of the house, on the way he knocked out Gambit who was the William Stryker in the illusion, he believed teleporting across the water would save him as he stood on the other side of the lake.

Shadow saw this happen and said, "Coward."

He walked inside and saw Mastermind, "You!"

He started to walk towards him and Mastermind nodded, "Your friend will take care of you so sorry…"

Colossus picked him up and tossed him through the roof of the house. Jubilee, and Bishop ran in at the same time, this was problematic for Mastermind for some reason an illusion against Jubilee wouldn't work, and so he picked Bishop. Making him think that there was nothing there, the same with Colossus. Both looked around dazed and confused by the fact that previously there were a bunch of things around them.

He tried to remove a gun under his jacket but when he lifted it up and tried to pull the trigger a beam of pink light shot it from his hand. Jubilee ran up to him and socked him in the face, the old man fell unconscious, and she said, "Well not the best way but I like it"

Psylocke stumbled into the room, she was bleeding a bit and had a cracked rib cage, "Those mental blocks I put on you worked like a charm, and if he won't let me fight you head on I have no option but to use the most unlikely one."

Shadow appeared from a portal, Colossus and Bishop appeared normal as well. Then Nightcrawler appeared inside. Jubilee smiled as she walked over to Gambit and woke him up, "He was knocked unconscious…"

Kurt laughed sheepishly, now that Mastermind was unconscious what the illusions really were had returned to them.

Colossus said to Psylocke, "I am very sorry if I hurt you!"

"It's alright," said Psylocke as she smiled, "After we return him to the authorities and prove did it then we can head home, and call it a day."


	3. The Game is Afoot!

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men

Don't mind me…all the children require for sustenance is reviews! For every time you don't review this story when you read the chapter for your first time a child dies.

Please, take your time and feed them with reviews.

Also sorry about the delay I had computer issues

Chapter 3: The Game is Afoot!

Xorn sat on the floor in the living room of the Braddock's house it was a spacious and elegant room. Very peaceful, silent, Xorn then stopped. He turned his head towards the doorway near him his cold gray mask couldn't express the happiness he felt. He knew the others were coming back and the place would have some noise again.

Even if he couldn't talk to any of the others except Amahl, Betsy could talk to him but in a limited broken Chinese. Then the shadow portal opened and the group of teenagers hopped out of it with Amahl in the front.

He looked at him and smiled. Amahl gave a strange grin right back at him and they got into a conversation. Kurt leaped onto a couch, "I'm starving!"

Then Remy glanced around the place, "A really nice place you have here Miss Braddock…maybe I should have accepted your invite the first time!"

"It is a bit roomy though," said Betsy pausing and looking around the place.

"Betsy roomy is a good thing," said Jubilee, "I would hate living in a place where you would get no privacy whatsoever."

She forced Kurt to move by lighting off a spark on his leg. He practically jumped out of the seat to the other end of the couch as Jubilee sat down where his legs previously were and put her feet on the coffee table in front of her.

"When will the others be back Betsy?" asked Peter.

As she turned she winced in pain, Peter had done her a good one in the stomach, "Soon…that's why we didn't go back to school Peter."

Xorn noticed her experiencing pain and almost glided over to her touching her stomach. Betsy felt the pain disappear as her ribs mended and the blood and bruises disappeared into nothing. She clapped him on the shoulder and said thank you in his mind.

Xorn nodded and moved to the side. Betsy then said, "If you guys are hungry you can fix yourselves something…"

She said this before moving over to an armchair and laying back in it, she was going to have a good nap. Kurt scrambled over the couch and Jubilee was not long after him. Lucas chuckled a bit before following the rest of them.

Remy said, "I never had rich people food before."

He ran after them before they disappeared behind a door. Peter decided he would like a bite to eat as well walking over to the door. Remy found himself rummaging through the refrigerator making a pretty big mess.

"This doesn't look like rich people food," Remy frowned as he pulled out a jar of pickles and examined it before setting it down on the counter next to him.

Kurt was sitting on a wall as he reprimanded Remy for giving a stereotype, "Just because someone is rich doesn't mean all they eat is caviar…"

Peter laughed, "That is ridiculous comrade if I was rich I would have a pool of caviar."

"Uh…big guy, having a pool full of fish eggs is kind of gross," said Jubilee, "But hey if you want to swim in eggs be my guest…"

Before Peter could answer Lucas said, "What's the point of this conversation anyways?"

"Umm…honestly I don't know," replied Kurt, "Just trying to have a conversation."

Then all of a sudden a really funny sounding voice was heard, "Hello X-dumplings I thought you were quashed by the Brotherhood my homies kind of I'm sure they wouldn't call me that…but-"

"What the hell?" asked Bishop, "Where's that voice coming from?"

"Oh you little kiddies thought you were at home snuggling up in front of the fridge. But you aren't!" said the disembodied voice, "You can call me Arcade, and you aren't in your mansion this is Murderworld!"

All of a sudden the mansion around them disappeared and they reappeared in a carnival full of games, and many other assorted things. The voice then said, "Little Betsy, St. John, Toad, Xorn and Rogue are somewhere in here too!"

"He didn't mention Amahl…" said Peter looking around.

"He's with me," said Arcade, "Oh and have a ball!"

All of a sudden giant pin balls started flying from everywhere. Kurt yelled, "Mein gott!"

Before leaping over one and onto it bouncing off and teleporting to where Jubilee was he grabbed her hand and teleported her onto the roof of a tent, "How are the others faring?"

"Take a look for yourself crawler," she said.

Peter had turned metal and lifted a ball that flew at him and swung it at the other pinballs launching them away. Remy was dodging the balls and using his explosive cards to offset them forcing them to fly in different directions.

Lucas was about to get hit but Jubilee shot a beam of light at him and he charged up, putting both of his hands on the ball and stopping it dead in it's tracks, "What the hell is this anyways…"

Kurt reappeared with Jubilee down where they were as the balls had disappeared. Then Jubilee said, "I thought we were at the mansion…what could have stopped us from getting back to the mansion…"

Remy said, "So where do you suppose the others are?"

"Well we should fine them…" trailed off Lucas.

Betsy found herself sitting in front of a giant busted Whack-a-Mole game, "Well this Arcade guy will think twice before trying to hit me with a hammer."

"I wanted to play it though Sheila," said St. John, "It would have been really fun to hit you in the face."

"John, shut up," said Betsy, "I'm tired of listening to you speak."

"You know you like me," he said, "Once you let St. John fly out of your pretty little mouth you will fall in love with me."

Before she could respond with an insult Toad hopped out of one of the holes followed by Rogue who bounced out like Toad, she looked up then stood up straight and said, "So that Arcade guy said that the rest of our team is somewhere else in Murderworld, what should we do oh fearless leader."

Betsy sensed sarcasm but then said, "We need to find Amahl first he is our only way out of here…"

"What about the others? Are you planning on just leaving them here!?!" yelled Rogue, "Are we just going to leave them here to die…because this Arcade guy obviously wants us dead, so Amahl is probably as good as dead!"

Xorn walked out from behind a wall nearby and looked at them. Betsy nodded at him then she turned to the rest of the group, "Xorn says he will find Amahl, if we look for the rest of them."

"This bugger will be okay by himself?" Toad asked, Betsy glanced at him and said, "Yes, what I didn't tell all of you is he can create plasma…which is what stars are made out of, so yes he can handle himself."

"I thought he was a pacifist though," said Rogue, "Won't he just sit still."

"He will take care of himelf, Charles Xavier was a pacifist he didn't sit around idle and not help people," Betsy said she was infuriated by this, the group then fell silent as they went to the next tent.

They were standing on a wooden platform looking down into a black hole. There was a tight rope going across it looked pretty frayed and damaged. Betsy stared at the rope and looked across the hole, "He wants us to cross the rope, because the distance is to far for my telekinesis…"

St. John stared at the rope, "Toad why don't you go first?"

"No you dick, I'm not going to die crossing a rope!" Toad exclaimed.

Betsy sighed, "I'll cross first…"

She started to walk across the rope she felt it started to tear under her weight but she kept going about it. Betsy had amazingly graceful steps as she walked across almost as if she was weightless.

She neared the end and made a leap enhanced by her telekinesis and landed perfectly at the other end. Toad laughed, "Why don't I just walk on the walls, duh…"

He leaped onto a wall and started to climb, but then water started to pour from the tent and he started sliding down, "Noooo! I don't want to dieeeee!"

Rogue concentrated she still felt some of Toad's powers left in her but she wouldn't have them for long. She leaped to the wall grabbing Toad's arm and then pulled him jumping to the rope and grabbing it with her other hand.

"Toad just hang on!" Rogue yelled, "We can make it to the other side, I just need some more of your powers…"

Toad started to cry, "But if you let go of the rope we die…"

"I don't need to let go of the rope," she said as she kicked off her boot and pulled off the sock with her other foot.

"Oh I gotcha," he immediately stopped crying and shot his long tongue out touching her face for a bit.

Rogue then started saying some unfavorable words at Toad and finished with, "I meant your foot touching mine!"

"Well hurry up then Rogue," said Toad.

She kept cursing as she pulled her self up with one arm and threw Toad with the other acrobatically landing on the rope with both feet planted on it. Toad got within Betsy's telekinetic range so she pulled him up with her powers as Toad landed next to her.

Rogue then leaped off of the rope landing next to them, "Toad I didn't realize your powers were that strong…"

"Their not…my feet are strong but nothing else," he said.

"I threw you at Betsy and you almost landed next to her…" she said.

"I hate to interrupt you two and your chit chat," said St. John, "But whose going to help me get over there?"

Betsy frowned, "Fine St. John this is counterproductive but I'll help you…"

She started to walk back, when she made it half way she pointed at John as he started to lift off the ground and flew the way Betsy came from as he landed on his face near Rogue.

Betsy then turned around seeing Rogue and Toad laughing at John, but she heard a loud snap and found there was nothing but air beneath her as she fell into the deep abyss of the hole.

"Betsy!" John yelled, "It's my fault!"

He started yelling at Toad and Rogue to climb down there and get her. He struggled against them as they held him back Rogue slapped him across the face and yelled, "Get a hold of yourself! I can hear her, she told me she was fine there's another room down there."

"Oh…" said John, "Why didn't she tell me?"

"She said because you're a psycho now let's get going," Rogue said.

Toad snickered at John, "Someone's in love…"

"No she's just cute," admitted John.

"I don't want to hear about your fancies boys, I am in charge right now so you listen to me, we are going to find the others now," stated Rogue, "Also I'm pretty sure she doesn't like any of us…she can't even tolerate anyone but Xorn, and Amahl."

Toad frowned, "Well speak for yourself I'm pretty sure she likes me okay."

"Right Toad…in fact she absolutely adores you the most too!" sarcastically added Rogue, "Face it, we're the misfits of the group, they take off on some secret mission and leave us behind…"

Before either John or Toad could reply they heard a voice, "Gutetag mein freunds!"

Lucas Bishop was leading all everyone that they hadn't accounted for to them. Kurt disappeared in a loud of smoke and reappeared in one near Rogue, Toad, and John, "Where is our fearless leader?"

"She fell down a hole back there and she is looking for Amahl, and Xorn now, maybe this Arcade guy too," said Rogue.

"Shit!" yelled Jubilee pointing towards an army of robots, which raised guns at them.

"It's the Dark Side!" St. John laughed pulling his lighter from his pocket and lighting it, "Now your going to get it!"

Inferno flew from St. John's lighter launching a robot into the air then he turned and opened his hand as flames fanned from the lighter and sprayed the robots. Explosions started to go off but a sole robot leaped through the fire about to fire its gun at Jubilee.

She turned and fired a ray of sparks blowing it up. Then started to create flashing lights around the robots, which set off the light sensors not allowing them vision. Gambit then jumped in with his staff swinging his weight into a blow colliding with a robot as it ripped though its metal.

"Your cheap metal cannot match the might of mine!" Peter roared as he turned metal and bull rushed the army bowling through them and knocking them over like pins.

Rogue meanwhile high-fived Kurt with her bare hand gaining a bit of his powers she then appeared in a group of robots and grabbed one's head removing it with another teleport. Kurt went through the troops a he sliced through some with his knife Lucas loaded his gun and delivered three headshots to the robots.

"Will this ever end mates?" Toad asked, just as the words left his mouth the robots were cleared out, "What do you know."

Elsewhere in Murderworld under the big top Arcade laughed as he saw Xorn walk in, "You're here…"

He then landed on the ground after leaping from a pedestal. He was an odd man about five feet tall with shaggy red hair and a funny looking red goatee. His polka dotted pink and yellow suit shone in the light what a strange material. His obnoxious bow tie striped, he looked to be about 40 or so.

Xorn started speaking in Chinese, then Arcade walked forward, "Oh right I forgot you are the Chinese one…my bad."

He pulled out a semi-automatic machine gun from his waist, "Like my suit? No…you prefer drab an emo would be jealous of…"

He continued talking in Chinese Arcade continued, "How rude of me, Amahl, will you translate…"

Amahl lifted himself from nearby shadows and said, "He is asking where am I…he still thinks I'm his friend how precious."

"Well you going to do it to him now?" Arcade asked, "We may as well, security says Psylocke is coming soon."

"Of course…"

Xorn and Amahl disappeared from the room and they reappeared in the Astral Plane both could clearly understand each other at this place. Xorn looked at him, "Why have you brought me here?"

"You were clearly the first that might discover…my side," he smiled walking forward, "Besides it's my mission, stop the X-men from ever returning. To infiltrate an new facilities."

"I see…" Xorn trailed off, "You may as well do it now…"

"What no fight Xorn? Oh right you believe fighting isn't the answer, you probably think that I will be nice and help you after I do this," Amahl laughed, "It is rather funny how naive you are, and how naïve you think I am. I am a lot older than I appear to be, my real age is forty four, I work for myself, and the Brotherhood."

He started to morph into a horrible monster and he smiled widely a toothy grin, "You won't leave here alive."

Xorn just sat on the ground looking at his former friend, "I will still consider you my friend."

Claws tore into Xorn's skin and he was torn apart pieces of him flying everywhere. Even his plasma was dulled by the Astral Realm's dark appearance. Amahl said in a harsh voice, "They call me Shadow King!"

Next Chapter: Game Over


	4. Game Over

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men...

Please tell me what you think now that I am writing stories again. I may just turn them into comics later but who cares I'll do this for now.

Chapter 4: Game Over

Psylocke ran into the room where Arcade was hiding hoping to find Xorn but all she saw was his mangled body on the floor and Amahl standing over it he was crying it seemed.

"That Arcade..." trailed off Amahl, "He will pay."

"Is...he dead?" asked Psylocke.

"Yes he is dead there is not much we can do about it I saw Arcade run down that hallway we should follow him," said Amahl.

He had gestured to a hall that looked like a fun house with really bright colors and mirrors adorning all of the halls. Psylocke stopped in her tracks and looked in the hall, "Then I guess we follow him. I want to take care of Xorn's body but I have to go after him."

She then dashed towards the hall not stopping, she yelled as she ran, "Amahl you stay there I'll get him you take care of Xorn."

When she was out of hearing distance Amahl cracked a smile, "As you wish."

At the end of the fun house hall Arcade could be seen on a phone of some sort he said to it, "So what do I do now boss can I leave yet."

"No you can't leave until they are taken care of mutant rights can never proceed until the X-men are gone for good," said the voice on the other line.

"I will do as you say," said Arcade, he then picked up a hammer that was sitting on the ground it was yellow with red rims and stars on it, it looked like something out of a child's room.

Arcade turned towards the hall and ran back to where he came from.

At the entirely opposite end of the hall Amahl also got a call on the phone. He then answered, "Master."

"Amahl, Arcade has become a threat to your cover he has to be killed you can't let Psylocke get near him, travel to him quickly," the voice commanded.

"If that is how it has to be I can dispose of him," said Amahl his voice carried a dark undertone.

He then created an Astral Portal and vanished.

In an entirely different part of Murderworld the other X-men found themselves in an empty room with no enemies to face. Peter took a step forward, "Is this all they have in this Murderworld? It is rather pathetic, well friends shall we find our fearless leader now?"

St. John started to say something and then there was a loud rumble, and a voice came over a loud speaker, "You have defeated the Murderworld robots but I have another treat for you and this guy was made by a man named Trask, I have rigged him to only know the New X-men's genetic codes and he has a few adjustments I bet you can't wait welll here he is! The Murder Sentinel."

Then out lumbered a robotic monstrosity it looked much like the old designs some of the students had faced before but it was wearing a party hat and it looked like it was old parts hastily put together. The monstrosity was perhaps a hundred feet tall with purple and red armor over all the circuitry and weaponry that lay within it.

Bishop stared at it, "This was the model that was sent to deal with me, I will have no issues with this."

He ran up to it and spread his arms, "Give me what you got!"

The Sentinel looked at Bishop inside it was quickly perusing the DNA library and it picked out the filed, 'Lucas Bishop.'

It then swatted him with its hand slamming him into a wall. All the X-men looked at Bishop he seemed to be unconscious and perhaps badly hurt.

"Now you are going to get it big guy!" Colossus turned to steel and charged towards one of the Sentinel's legs and he then ripped off a panel.

Kurt teleported next to him with St. John. John then fanned flames into the circuitry making the leg more cumbersome and less smooth in movement. The Sentinel then recognized all three of them and started firing missiles. Kurt grabbed Pyro and the left in a cloud of smoke. Colossus was there to take the entire brunt of the missiles. He seemed to be down and then he rose from the smoke left by both Kurt and the missile impact.

Rogue using Toad's powers leaped onto one of the Sentinels shoulders she jammed her arm into a crevice in the armor and started pulling out wires as Toad did the same on the opposite shoulder.

Jubilee and Gambit distracted it with their projectile powers launching them left and right at the Sentinel's head not giving it a clear target. It kept firing lasers but none of them hit an actual mutant. Colossus then recovered from the blast, "Everyone clear away from the Sentinel keep distracting it and make sure you are not near it."

Following these words Toad and Rogue left the Sentinel putting it off balance a little with the strength in their legs. Peter then rammed his hand under the Sentinel and started heaving.

"You will fall you horrible giant, I am the Colossus!" he then heaved one final time and flipped the Sentinel on its back, "This is where it is weakest take it out while it has fallen."

Pyro ran forward with his lighter out and started shooting fireballs at it. Nightcrawler appeared on the Sentinels head and pulled off a piece of armored plating ramming it in its eyes. The Sentinel could no longer recognize who were the mutants therefore it was now useless.

Rogue walked up to it, "I can't believe we did it!"

"I thought most Sentinel use had stopped," said Toad.

Jubilee then stated, "They are still used in America, besides this guy is just scraps."

In the fun house hall Psylocke and Arcade had finally met. Arcade had a wild grin across his face that showed confidence, "So Psylocke, eh? Doesn't ring in my ears quite as good as Professor Charles Xavier..."

"Who are you and why have you abducted us all...and how do you know so much," she asked.

"Arcade, I abducted you for fun, and I am quite smart I look like I'd be a gas to hang around with but...I'm not," he had that smile which quickly turned into an expression showing he was completely serious, "Well, time to die!"

Before Psylocke had a chance to read his mind she was attacked by a hammer swing. She stopped it telekinetically, "You don't seem like that big of a deal to me...tell me what you know, why do you want to kill us."

He let go of the hammer and put his hands in his pockets looking defeated, "Because a smart guy like me has nothing else to do."

"BUT THIS!" he screamed and pulled out a remote which he pressed the button to. A smoke screen shrouded his whereabouts and disoriented Psylocke.

Psylocke started to stumble but then realized she could sense his mind it could help. She started to search and then a voice came to her thoughts, 'And now she will die.'

A sword came from the shadows as she bent it with her mind it was a close one. She could've been in the same place as Xavier if not for that search. The figure holding the sword appeared it was some type of robot, and then the smoke cleared there were twenty or so. She then use her telekinesis to enhance a jump that landed her near a robot. She ripped the sword from its hand and then had it levitating in front of her.

It sliced through its previous owner then impale three robots. She flipped over them and slammed two robots together with a thought. Then Arcade ran out she waved her hand and all the robots started to disassemble it looked like it took her great concentration then a sword landed in her hand. She was too exhausted to use telekinesis again.

Arcade seemed to have gotten his hammer back, "Why won't you die!?!"

"Because your efforts are meaningless to me," she said then the hammer and the sword clashed.

She managed to hit the hammer off with her hand and then started whirling her sword walking towards Arcade. He regained his grip on the hammer and swung it downward with all the force someone of his stature could manage. She then sliced off his hand it landed on the ground still holding the large hammed. He then landed on his knees, "I will tell you what you want just spare me!"

"What are you doing here?" said Psylocke.

"I am with the Brother-"

He was stopped as he was enveloped by a portal and vanished. Psylocke tried to get a glimpse at his thoughts but he was gone.

Within the portal Amahl stood before Arcade, "I have been told to dispose of you when you became a threat."

He grew to his monster form, "You have done that."

Arcade looked towards him, "Please just spare me I don't care where you send me just spare me."

Amahl now Shadow King seemed to think for a moment. Then he opened his mouth revealing his gruesome teeth, "Alright...you will stay here! Let the shadows do to you what I won't."

"No! Nooo!"

With that Shadow King left through a portal.

Back in Murderworld Betsy had found the rest of her team. She looked at them and said, "I have bad news...Xorn is dead."

Colossus turned away from Bishop whom he was reviving and said, "What? How?"

"This Arcade fellow killed him in an unsavory fashion," said Betsy, "I hunted him down and asked for questions but he vanished in some kind of portal."

"Did you get any answers?" asked Kurt.

"Just one he was a member of the Brotherhood, he started to say it," said Psylocke, "Once Amahl arrives I know what we must do."

"And what is that o' great leader?" asked Toad.

"We have to find the old X-men, the ones remaining they may enlighten us more on the Brotherhood," she stated, "I am only going to bring three of you and I've decided it will be Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Rogue, you all may be what I need to do this."

"Once we find Iceman, maybe even Cyclops, or Wolverine we can find out why this is happening and how they seem to know what we are up to," she said, "Everyone else will stay at the Mansion Bishop is in charge for now."

"I don't think I can do this," said Jubilee, "One of us died! How much longer can we be sheep, as long as we label ourselves X-men these bastards will be after us. It has been two days!"

She stopped for a moment, "You all seem fine with this!"

"You all knew the danger of labeling yourselves as X-men," said Betsy, "So don't cry to me now that you are on the team."

Next Chapter: Finding What Was Lost


	5. Finding What Was Lost

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men in any way shape or form.

Well I hope this gets reviews. Not to be the whiny guy who wants reviews all the time. Which I am. I just love feedback I would like to hear more about story content and whatnot. Little spelling errors and such are natural since I don't have a beta. I am trying to work on my run-on sentences but usually I start typing these late at night when I am bored or when I feel inspiration strikes me most.

Don't worry I have the story loosely mapped out in my head way in advance.

Chapter 5: Finding What Was Lost

"So I have pinpointed the location of Iceman, I am not sure how much we will get out of him," said Betsy.

"Why is that?" Rogue asked.

"Umm...I uh...don't know how to put this," she stated, "But he's mental."

The other three young mutants just looked plain shocked. Then Peter spoke up, "So, what are we talking here? Does he have multiple personality disorder or something?"

"I have no clue what you would classify it as," she said, "He is super sensitive about the subject of what happened to his teammates, and he usually doesn't talk to people."

"Well we will have to get it out of him then," said Rogue, "How come the Brotherhood haven't done anything about this if it is common knowledge he is still around?"

"He is no threat," said Psylocke, "He doesn't use his powers anymore and he hasn't helped the authorities at all in perpetrating them he just snapped."

The four of them were sitting on a balcony at her house behind them were large wooden doors made of very beautiful wood and involving great carpentry. In front of them was a view of a large expansive property that was the Braddock's. The fine doors opened and Amahl stepped out, "Are you ready to go? It is a one way trip until you find what you need."

"We will do what we have to, I'm ready is everyone else," said Betsy, and with that being stated everyone found themselves nodding nobody was looking back now.

"Come with me," said Amahl as he ripped open another portal with which everyone was accustomed to now.

All four of the people assigned to this mission followed and they were aboard the cross-dimensional transport fending off the Shadow creatures again. The trip ended and Amahl ripped open another portal, "I will see you when you find what you need."

They stepped out of the portal, and Amahl travelled back but he only went to the other side of town. He called his higher authority. The phone rang twice before being answered, "Magneto what shall I do now? They are trying to find more about the Brotherhood."

"They have left to America so you will kill as many of the ones in the Mansion as you can without being discovered, until they find out some information about you then you will take care of the leader. As a group without a leader fails." Magneto replied, "That is all Shadow King."

He hung up and disappeared in a rift yet again.

Rain drops came down upon the streets in a quick pattering style. Psylocke used telekinesis to keep the crew from getting wet, Nightcrawler had his hood on and tried to hide his appearance. The sun was starting to fall so visiting hours were only so much longer.

They had to be discreet as Sentinels still roamed the US and killed mutants or detained them.

"Are we nearly there?" asked Kurt.

"Another block," said Psylocke.

They were in New York the streets around this part of town seemed less lively though, and it was more run down. In the alleys lied vagabonds trying to create cover for themselves. It was truly a dark age in America.

"We got to watch out for Sentinels," said Rogue, "I'm not sure if they have me in their databases."

They managed to get to the Asylum before closing time with 30 minutes of time to get across to Iceman. Betsy turned to Nightcrawler and said, "Maybe you should stay outside and keep watch in case a Sentinel comes."

"Eh sure," said Kurt.

So the other three stepped inside and the person at the front counter looked at them, "Visiting hours are nearly over."

"Yes we know we need to see Bobby Drake," said Betsy.

"Ahh, what relation are you?" the front desk man inquired.

Betsy looked at him and just put a thought in his head, 'It is none of your business and you will not worry about it.'

He then forgot about it, "Right down this hallway he is most likely in the dining hall since it is dinner time."

"Thank you sir," replied Betsy she had a smug grin on her face.

Peter and Rogue followed her. They then ended up in the dining hall, though this was an asylum most of them weren't too harmful to society just they couldn't take care of themselves. She scanned the room to find Bobby. She passed over several people and then located his mind.

They approached him, and he immediately turned around. He looked much older than he was he looked year-worn and tired. He had blonde hair that was very unkempt and shaggy, it didn't look like he cared for it much. He had a scruffy yellowish beard that had grey mixed in. His eyes alone told a tale of how much the incident had traumatized him they looked empty almost even lifeless. He wore a robe over his pajamas which were blue and plaid. He wore slippers as well that showed how little he cared about his well-being now with the wear and tear as well as stains. He however wore a baseball cap that seemed to be what little of what Bobby's personality used to be.

"Hello Bobby Drake?" asked Betsy.

He turned to her with a that same stare but something lit up a little in his eyes. He said nothing however.

"You don't have to say anything yet we just need information from you ok?" she said.

He simply gained back that stare.

"This is important for our kind," she said.

He started to turn away before she said this but that brought his attention back he started to utter a soft spoken word, "No."

It became more persistent and louder. He kept saying it. He wouldn't stop until he was yelling. Betsy was trying to calm him down when she remembered something from biology. Maybe she would be able to do it considering it related to the brain.

She commanded his brain to mess with the levels of endorphins before the guards came over to escort her out. He slowly stopped saying that word.

"Okay you probably won't give us any information, but I can try to retrieve it from your mind," she turned to Rogue, "If I can't get anything you try."

The stare was back almost challenging the telepath to try all she wanted. She wandered through his mind for several minutes to travel all the way back. It seemed as though he blocked what had happened to his teammates.

She came back from his mind and turned to the other two, "He has mentally blocked it but he seems to react to anything relating to it, its very odd, maybe its because he is insane now but I can't seem to find any memories. It is almost like a maze, nothing is in order anymore and everything is warped."

"I'm not trying it then, I don't need his memories," said Rogue, "Taking a persons memory has a powerful grip on me I don't like it if I don't need to."

Peter looked to them both, "We cannot give up comrades, we should check his room maybe he has belongings."

"Good idea," said Betsy.

She managed to get a subliminal message into Iceman's mind to go back to his room. So they followed him.

He stepped in and sat in a chair in the corner, it was an arm chair a rather worn one but a comfy looking one and he just looked out the window. There were bars on it, but that didn't stop them from seeing the rain. It was still pouring very hard.

So the three of them immediately got to looking through his things. But after looking through his cupboards and stacks of paper on his end table they found nothing.

The three of them sat on his bed looking defeated. Betsy sat there looking dejected and said, "This...was pointless. We are at a dead end what can we do?"

"Could you find any of the other ones? I mean you said Cyclops may be alive," said Peter.

After he said this Bobby started searching through his robe pockets and he pulled out an envelope. He looked at Peter and said, "Scott."

They all turned Peter then said, "What? Scott who the hell is that?"

Betsy lit up and immediately had a wide grin she jumped up and practically yelled, "Its Cyclops!"

"What now?" said Rogue she had zoned out after they gave up on the search. Then a loud crash was heard out side.

They all ran to the window and inside that muffled teleporting noise could be heard. Nightcrawler arrived in the room, "Its a Sentinel."

He was breathing heavily as he had to teleport several times to find them.

"Ah shit!" said Rogue.

A large robotic hand crashed through the wall and then a face lowered itself to their view. This Sentinel looked like an updated version of the Murderworld one they fought and it was well put together.

It then said, "Scanning."

"Mutant Targets Detected."

"Terminate."

Its eyes started to charge up and it had noticed Iceman too. Betsy turned to him and Rogue, "Rogue take his power, and you guys get us the hell out of this room!"

Rogue hesitated for a moment and then touched Iceman, a memory zoomed into her head and all had seemed to slow down for her. It was a log cabin in the middle of a forest, everything was blurred but she immediately knew this was where Cyclops lived now or at some point lived.

She flashed back and screamed. This was unlike anything she had absorbed there was a lot of power within him. Rogue then fell to her knees and the floor beneath her started to coat in ice.

"We better move!" said Colossus.

He grabbed both Iceman and Psylock and leaped from the room into the streets, the muffled teleport sound followed and Nightcrawler was there too.

The Sentinel then targeted Rogue specifically, a meter in its vision raised after she tapped into Iceman's abilities. It stated, "Omega Level power being displayed, show no restraint."

Then its chest plates opened up and missiles started to fly from it. The ice around Rogue kept going and then ice spikes came from the ground stopping the missiles. Rogue then seemed to gain some control and got up. She turned to ice and then raised a hand to the Sentinel. It immediately started to spark. Shortly after the sparking water flowed from every crevice of the Sentinel and she solidified it.

The Sentinel could no longer work. The Sentinel's primary objective which was now Rogue snapped her fingers. Machinery spread everywhere the Sentinel was now shards, it no longer resembled anything close to one.

All who were watching stood in awe, even Iceman. Rogue then slid from the building down a pillar of ice. She smiled and then said, "I love this power!"

"I heard the Sentinel say she was an Omega level...what is that?" asked Nightcrawler.

"Its a mutant that has no end to its potential no doubt they will be sending more Sentinels," said Psylocke, "So we had better get a move on."

"So he lives in the woods somewhere on the east coast," Rogue said, "I know what it looks like I can get us there."

"But how?" asked Nightcrawler, "Four people is a lot for me to teleport especially a mile at a time."

"I have a better idea," Rogue said.

The group then vanished in a spray of water. They reappeared in a dark wooded area. Colossus then exclaimed, "What the hell! That hurt I have a massive headache now!"

"I think I understand how that worked," Rogue said, "I broke everyone up into water molecules and reassembled them, another trick I learned from touching Bobby here."

"Great," said Psylocke, "I just wouldn't touch him too much more if I were you."

Back at the Braddock mansion Gambit, Toad, Pyro and Jubilee were standing in the kitchen. Toad licked a fly from the air and said, "So how come they didn't take us huh? I can kick some serious ass."

He motioned some mock punches and kicks. Then Pyro said, "Its obvious she likes 'ol St. John Allerdyce she just doesn't want you guys to see how much she favors me."

"Right..." said Jubilee whilst rolling her eyes, "I'm sure that's why she didn't take you."

"I could have definitely benefited the team in an operation such as what they are doing," said Gambit slyly as he tossed a card into the table.

"Why don't we do some super heroing of our own while she is gone?" said Toad, "We could get the job done."

"This is where I take my leave," said Jubilee.

She grabbed a random magazine and started to open it as she plopped onto the couch.

"Okay I am listening," said Gambit.

"Right simply said we go find some people in trouble and help them out," explained Toad, "You see we go around town helping people out, take care of their problems. Thus making the world a better place."

"Whatever I will follow you two around," replied Gambit.

"Where's that Bishop bloke?" said Pyro, "He would probably eat this shit up."

"I believe he went to town for some reason maybe we will see him," said Gambit.

The three then left leaving Jubilee by herself. She thumbed through the magazine and from behind her popped up Amahl. He then said, "How come you didn't go with them?"

"I don't take much to the super heroics business," she muttered, "Where were you any way?"

"Eavesdropping," he smiled.

"Uh, okay you don't need to eavesdrop you can always join in," she said.

"Well you see I needed to manipulate the conversation so one of you would stay behind," he said, "So I convinced you that you didn't want to go even though you are friends with Toad."

"Why would you do that?" she said, "You aren't planning on doing things to me are you?"

At this point she was on her feet sparks at the ready. Amahl laughed heartily, "Eh, no. I want to kill you."

He enveloped her in shadow. She was now in the astral plane where Amahl thrived, he was now the Shadow King. Jubilee was truly frightened she started firing bolts of energy at Amahl though none had much effect.

"A fighter huh? Xorn didn't do much when I killed him," he laughed a laugh that didn't even sound human.

A clawed hand sliced open Jubilee, then he dropped her into the darkness below. Amahl watched her fall, "Two down."

In the woods of which the faction of X-men now were residing. Psylocke looked at Iceman he was now leaning against a tree falling asleep. She then said, "We better just leave him here we can get him when we enter the cabin."

Rogue then moved ahead while she just talked then she tripped over a wire. A pit opened up and she fell in with the wire tied around her foot. She then cried out in pain, the wire cut into her foot a little. The cabin door burst open and out stepped Cyclops, "You better not be the Brotherhood!"

Colossus then covered himself in the organic metal. Cyclops saw this and said, "Oh you must be if you are mutants."

He lifted his sunglasses revealing some scars on his face for a minute and then a red flash shot from his eyes knocking Psylocke into a tree.

"Thats not even full blast you better leave!" he threatened.

Colossus looked towards Psylocke and noticed she was unconscious. Nightcrawler teleported into the pit freeing Rogue from the trap and teleporting her back. Cyclops fired another blast separating the two X-men, as Colossus ran forward. The concussion blasts from his eyes found Colossus' mass a great target. Colossus pressed forward as the blast suppressed his movements.

Nightcrawler teleported back to Rogue and they both appeared behind Cyclops. Just then Cyclops increased the blast knocking down Colossus and he turned to both Rogue and Nightcrawler drawing a sword. He swung it just as Nightcrawler withdrew his knife blocking it.

"You plan to fight me with that?" said Cyclops, "I took down your big guy and your leader, you think this will do me in."

"No," Nightcrawler strained, "But maybe she will."

Rogue had taken Nightcrawler's power at some point while she was rescued by him and she was behind Cyclops and reached for his face knocking him out.

"We got lucky..." said Rogue.

Hours later Cyclops was tied to a chair in his cabin Psylocke looked him in the eyes as he awoke, "Instead of assuming we are the Brotherhood check next time. We are carrying on Charles Xavier's legacy, we brought Iceman with us you see."

He was sitting in the corner looking off in the distance.

"I am impressed, you managed to take me down," said Cyclops, "None of the Brotherhood's assassins have managed to."

"Well I'm not going to let you loose yet," said Betsy, "Because we need answers."

Next Chapter: Finding What Was Lost Part 2


End file.
